12 Fun Facts About the U.S. Women’s Olympic Basketball Team
With the gold medal game this Saturday, we are majorly feeling some pride for our U.S. Women's Olympic Basketball team!
These twelve women eat, breathe and sleep basketball, but that doesn't mean they aren't totally interesting off the court as well. Learn some fun facts on these ballin' ladies.
Seimone Augustus
Olympic Number: 5
WNBA Team: Minnesota Lynx
Fun Fact: Basketball may be Seimone's No. 1 passion, but this athlete is also interested in fashion design. In college she was a fashion and marketing major, and before that she designed her own dress for her senior prom. One day we may all be buying apparel from this Olympian's clothing line. Until then, we'll just keep marveling at her gorgeous gold medals.
A photo posted by Seimone Augustus (@moneymone33) on
Sue Bird
Jersey Number: 6
WNBA Team: Seattle Storm
Fun Fact: Sue Bird is known for being everyone's favorite teammate. She entertains fans both on and off the court with her interview-based show cleverly named Between Two Birds, which is a spoof on Zach Galifianakis' show, Between Two Ferns. So far she's only interviewed her fellow Seattle Storm teammates, but she hopes to branch out in the future.
Tamika Catchings
Jersey Number: 10
WNBA Team: Indiana Fever
Fun Fact: In team sports, communication is key. Tamika Catchings has learned how to communicate not only with words but with body language as well, as she suffers from a hearing impairment. As a child, her hearing aids were clunky and made the star an easy target among classmates. But instead of allowing obstacles to hold her back, Catchings used it as motivation to become better at sports. On the court she could out-play all of the other kids, which totally boosted her confidence. Today she speaks proudly of her hearing aid and hopes to motivate other children with disabilities.
Tina Charles
Jersey Number: 14
WNBA Team: New York Liberty
Fun Fact: Many preteen girls can be found flipping through magazines or hanging at the park with friends, but Tina Charles was already such a promising basketball player that she received her first recruiting letter from Stoney Brook University at the age of 12. After that, the letters didn't stop pouring in. Colleges around the country were intent on getting Charles signed with their team a full six years before she would graduate high school.
Elena Delle Donne
Jersey Number: 11
WNBA Team: Chicago Sky
Fun Fact: This Olympian almost quit basketball all together. At 18 years old she decided she was burnt out from the game, dropped out of her scholarship and turned her attention to volleyball. At the time she didn't know if she would ever return to the sport, but we are so lucky she did! Known equally for her service off the court, she is also the global ambassador for the Special Olympics. Donne is definitely a girl we love.
A photo posted by Elena Delle Donne (@de11edonne) on
Brittney Griner
Jersey Number: 15
WNBA Team: Phoenix Mercury
Fun Fact: Brittney Griner is the tallest member of the US Women's Olympic team, at 6'8″ with a size 17 shoe! These numbers may have contributed to Mark Cuban's suggestion that Griner try out for his team, the Dallas Mavericks. After his tweet, Brittney became the first woman to be seriously considered to play for the NBA. Griner tweeted him back asking when she should show up for tryouts. It may have been one small step for woman, but one giant dunk for womankind!
Sylvia Fowles
Jersey Number: 13
WNBA Team: Minnesota Lynx
Fun Fact: When this player isn't on the court, she enjoys sitting back and relaxing while watching some classic '90s cartoons. She tweeted a picture of herself lounging with the Rugrats on her TV screen and it was all we needed to remember that the stars are just like us. It's no question that the '90s were the Golden Age of cartoons, a statement professional b-ball player Fowles could totally get behind.
Angel McCoughtry
Jersey Number: 8
WNBA Team: Atlanta Dream
Fun Fact: Angel's talents reach far beyond basketball and sports in general. This Olympian's other passion is singing and she's actually really good. She's recorded a few singles that you can download on iTunes or listen to on YouTube. Her style is so on-point we could totally see a singing career take off for this Olympic athlete.
Maya Moore
Jersey Number: 7
WNBA Team: Minnesota Lynx
Fun Fact: Maya Moore has been drumming since she was nine years old. She doesn't usually advertise her talent, but the basketball player says that drumming became another way for her to express herself as a child growing up without siblings. She admits that before away games during college, she would look around for a drum set from the pep band and rock out by herself. Maybe Moore and McCoughtry can finally start their own band. I vote for the name Dream Team!
A photo posted by Maya Moore (@mooremaya) on
Breanna Stewart
Jersey Number: 9
WNBA Team: Seattle Storm
Fun Fact: It's hard to imagine an Olympic athlete not being very good at their sport. But, as it turns out, when Stewart first started the game she was chosen for her height rather than talent. Being long and gangly, Stewart could block shots but had a difficult time making them. Stewart is the youngest member on Team USA's roster, but she's only getting better with age.
Diana Taurasi
Jersey Number: 12
WNBA Team: Phoenix Mercury
Fun Fact: You can devour this amazing player on the court and off. After totally eating up her talent during a game, you can head over to University of Connecticut coach Geno Auriemma's food court restaurant, Geno's Fast Break, and order The Diana Taurasi. The coach named an eggplant parmigiana dish after the player to which she boasts, "I'm delicious."
Lindsay Whalen
Jersey Number: 4
WNBA Team: Minnesota Lynx
Fun Fact: There is no crazier "starting out" story than Lindsay Whalen's. Before she joined basketball she was a hockey player. But as the story goes, Whalen's friend, Emily Inglis, was on a fifth grade basketball team with many member conflicts. One weekend, with only four players available for the tournament, Emily suggested calling up Lindsay to step in as another player instead of forfeiting the game. Lindsay agreed and, as they say, the rest is history. She went on to become such a popular player that crowds of people flocked to the gymnasium on game night just to watch her. They even had to hold the boys' games first to make more room for the Whalen fans.
Team USA has been on a winning streak this summer and we love it! Learn some fun facts about the US Women's Gymnastics team HERE.